Process of manufacturing butter.



W. COLE.

PROCESS OP MANUFACTURING BUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1907.

Patented June 14,1910.

wiluner 595 fww@ "narran srnrns Parana clarion W'ALTER COLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLXN'OIS.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTRING BUTTER.

seines.

. specification of Letters Patent.

Application mea June 17, 1907. serial no. 379,387.

To all whom 'it may concern:

I jectof the King of Great Britain, and a res1- dent of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of, Illinois, have invented .a certain new and useful Improvement Yin Processes of Manufacturing Butter, of which the following is a specification.

It is well known thatjin making butter, by means of fermentation and aeration, certain conditions must pertain to'both the cream and the air, and for the best results the conditions must be under perfect control. One condition is that the cream should be in a state of natural lactic fermentation; and another condition is that, after the cream has reached the stage of natural lactic fermentation, it should be brought to and maintained at a temperature suitable for alcoholic fermentation. The natural lactic fermentation Y is a matter of course, and alcoholic fermentation will result from natural lactic fermentation, if the cream is raised to and maintained at and under proper conditions of temperature and aeration, but if alcoholic fermentation is not controlled at a cer- 'tain stage so as not to extend beyond that stage, such fermentation will develop into putrefactive fermentation and spoil the cream for butter-making. It is, therefore, absolutely and positively essential that the I alcoholic fermentation should be under perfect control; and the process of the present invention relates particularly to the absolute,

positiveand perfect control of the alcoholic fermentation.

The process of the present invention con'- sists in allowin of natural lactic fermentation, and then developing alcoholic fermentation by aeration under perfect control as to temperature of the cream and the admitted air, the temperature of the admitted air and cream being one that will maintain a suitable temperature for the cream, by which rapid alcoholic fermentation will be obtained in such manner as to so effect theby-products or constituents of the cream, other than the globules of butter fat, that their viscidity is destroyed, thus liberating the butter fat with its globules unbroken and the liberated butter fat will then of its own volition, owing to its less specific gravity than the other elements of the cream, rise to the top, Where it can be Washed and removed, and this without rupturing or destroying the inclosing the cream to reach the stage sacs of the globules of butter fat, and without subjecting the cream to any action other than is produced by the air, in connection with a suitable temperature for the cream and the admitted air. y

The carrying out of the process requires certain conditions, as to the temperature of the admitted air, for the oxygen of tlie air to properly act on the casein, sugar and other non-fatty solids of the cream, in order to transform the lactic into alcoholic fermentation, and this feature of injecting the air into the cream, with both the air and the cream under a proper temperature, and for maintaining the tem erature of the cream at the point required or producing alcoholic fermentation, constitutes the essential step in carrying out the process of the present inf vention. 4 y

The cream, after the natural lactic fermentation has arisen, and in. order to have such ferment tion succeeded by rapid alcoholic fermentation, should be raised to and maintained at or about a temperature of 5 degrees Fahrenheit, at which temperature, under the present processfalcoholic fermentation of the cream will take place, and, in order to obtain rapid alcoholic fermentation, extraneous means must vbe employedv for maintaining the temperature at or about 75 degrees, during the aeration treatment of the process, but such temperature, however,

Patented J une 1141:, 11910)., i

must not be maintained for too long a time, J

as the result would be the spoiling of the cream for the making of butter through the destroying or rupturing of the inclosing sacs of the butter globules. lt is, therefore, necessary thatl the temperature for the alcoholic fermentation should be maintained for a short period of time only', say fifteen minutes, or thereabouts, and that this temperature for producin should not be maintained for any longer period of time than the time during which alcoholic fermentation is taking place, and, hence, the necessity of a perfect control for the alcoholic fermentation is apparent. This perfect control of alcoholicfermentation is obtained underv the present process in a reliable and effective manner, as follows: The temperature for alcoholic fermentation of alcoholic fermentation the cream is maintained, during the stage y the cream, causing a change to take place in the constituents of the creamother than the .butter fat, vby which the viscidity of the cream is destroyed andthe butter globules will be liberated from the remaining elements of the cream, and such globules of butter fat will vbe in perfect condition with unbroken sacs and will rise to the top of the liquid, owing to their less specific gravity. The temperature of the air admitted to the n bottom of the mass of cream must be higher than the temperature of 75 degrees, at which the ycream is to be maintained for perfect alcoholic fermentation, to allow for the radiation of heat while-under compression, but the temperature of the admitted air must not lbe so great as to cause the bursting of the butter globules thereby producing an oily substance or condition. The air admitted to the cream should enter the cream at a temperature of, approximately, 92 degrees Fahrenheit, which temperature, in the passage of the air through the cream, is one that will maintain the cream at the normal temperature of 75 degrees, approximately, for producing the condition of alcoholic fermentation, by.which the necessary physical and chemical changes in the cream are performed to liberate the globules of butter fat, without churning or stirring the cream A and without rupturing the sacs or envelops of the butter globules, which rupturing of the sacs or envelops should be guarded against, for if the sacs or envelops are ruptured or broken, the butter globules will be exposed to contamination from the fermentable elements of the cream.

The compression of -the air, as to the amount of compression, must be regulated yon the-basis of the head of cream to be operated u on and the depth of water in the filter an heat transmltter, by which the temperature ofthe com ressed air is raised, so that when delivere into the body of cream it will maintain a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, or'thereabouts, for the cream, during .the process of alcoholic fermentation. Itf is, therefore, necessary, in order to determine the amount of com res- Y sion for the air, that the two factors o the head of cream, and the depth. of water must be taken'in consideration, for, just so much as the air is compressed, by the ump or blower to overcome the resistance o the head of cream and the water in thel lter and 5 5 heat transmitter, the temperature of the air will have '-to be more or less raisedv to compensate for the loss of temperature by radiation, while passing from the pump or blower through the connecting pipes by 46.0 which the air is transmitted from the pump a temperature of degrees, and is compressed one-third, and while under compression and in passing through the pump or blower and the connecting pipes, it will lose,

. by radiation, the excess of temperature due to compression and on liberation within the cream will expand to its original bulk, thereby reducing its normal temperature to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, more or less, according to its environments, and inasmuch as alcoholic fermentation requires a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, or thereabout, it will be seen that an increase of 35 degrees more or less must be obtained, and this increasing of the temperature to Van operative tempera- 3o ture of or about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, atv which temperature alcoholic fermentation follows within the cream, and to positively and effectually control the temperature of lthe admitted air and the cream is the essence 854 y of the present invention, so as to have the temperature ofthe admitted air at a tem.-

' perature which will maintain the cream at a temperature of about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, during the period ofl alcoholic fermen- 9o I tation. It is therefore necessary that the Foss of heat by radiation, together with the dierence in temperature between the air as rst taken by the pump or blower, and the temperature required to maintain an alco- Y holic fermentation yfor the cream, must be compensated for, by raising the tempera-4 ture, after the compressed air leaves the pump or`blower, through extraneous means supplying a steady heat that will raise the compressed air to a higher temperature than delivered by the pump and which increase of temperature will be suliicient to account for the loss by radiation and difference in temperature; and to attain this end the'process of the present invention raises the temperature of the air through the medium of a filter land heat transmitter' interposed be-` tween the pump and the point of delivery of the air to thecream, which lter and heat 110 transmitter has therein a body of water at a temperature to raise the temperature of the airpto- 8O degrees as the lowestpoint, and to 110 degrees, as the highest point, the same being the minimum and maximum points 115 necessary to lmeet the average requirements in delivering the air, under pressure, to the cream at a temperature suiciently high to maintain the temperature of the creamat the fermentation point of 75 degrees Ior 120 thereabout, in efecting' alcoholic fermentation.

Theair, brought to the temperature between 80 and 110 degrees, whether 80 degrees or degrees, oran intermediate tem- 125 perature between the two, is admitted to the mass of cream, and the temperature should be maintained for the period of time during which alcoholic fermentation is proceeding in the cream, but should be reduced for the Y final separation of the butter globules. It is necessary to compress the air in carrying outthe process, and the amount of compression will vary somewhat, according tothe surrounding conditions and the resistance of the Acream and water in the filter and heat transmitter. To illustrate, if the air from a normal temperature of degrees was raised by compression to a temperature of, say 80 degrees, when discharged into the body of cream from the supply pipe, suchtemperature of 80 degreesl would be too low for the air admitted or discharged into the mass of creandirto maintaina working temperature of 75l degrees for the cream, and, therefore, must be raised. The raising of the temperature of the air is attained, in the present process, by passing the air in a confined state through water at a temperature, approximately, of 110 degrees, and confined in a filter and heat transmitter, so that the air, in its passage through the hot water, will `be raised in temperature to an extent sufficient for admission into the mass of cream at a temperature of, approximately, 92 degrees, and this increase in the temperature of the air,'by withdrawing the necessary heat from the hot water to raise the temperature of the air, will continue usually -for only a short period of time, say fifteen minutes, which is the time ordinarily required for the alcoholic fermentation of the cream and the separation of the butter globules by the action of the oxygen carried into the cream by the admitted air. 1t will be understood that, as the heat is withdrawnv from the water and transmitted to the air, the Vwater will be gradually cooled down,`causing a radual reduction in the temperature of the a1r passing in 'a diiused state through the water, with the result that the air wil be gradually reduced in temperature in itspassage through the water, and such reduction of temperature follows its subsequent introduction into the mass of cream, so that, the final separation of thebutter globules from the other elements of the cream will take place under a perfect condition of temperature of both the crea-m and the air, thus insuring a perfect separation of the globules of butter fat and the production of pure, cleanand wholesome butter.

An apparatus suitable for carrying out the process of the present invention is illusk` trated in :the drawmgs, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the -ilter and heat transmitter, and the receptacle. for the cream, with the lead pipes 1n full elevation; Fig. 2 a top or plan view of the apparatus; and Fig. 3 a detail, in cross sectlon, of the coil for discharging the air intothe cream. 'f

The apparatus `as shown, lhas a tank or vessel having a side wall 1 anda bottom 2, with a flange 3 at the upper-.end of the side wall. A 'ange 4 on Aa conical or funnel co'verto the body or wall of the tank or vessel. The interior of the tank` or vessel, adjacent to its bottom or lower \end,has a perforated wall or diaphragm 6 on the arc A of a circle, in the construction shown; and

a supply pipe 7 leading from a compression pump or blower, not shown, enters the tank or vessel and is connected with and extends through the-perforated wall or diaphragm,`

so as to discharge compressed air;l or air under pressure, below the diaphragm. The tank or vessel is tobe partly filled with hot water at the required temperature to increase the temperature of the compressed air, or air under pressure, supplied to the tank or vessel, and the interior of thebody of the tank, with the interior of thevcover, constitutes a chamber 8, into which the air, after passing through the body of water, is projected. rllhe apex or top of the cover 5 has a discharge nozzle 9 of a suficient capacity to furnish a free escape for the air from the chamber 8, and so as notY to interfere with the passage of the air through the body of hot water, from back pressure of the air in the chamber. A lead pipe 10 is connected with the discharge nozzle 9, and this lead l for the cream, and connected at its lower end with a coil 12, having preferably, on the under side of each spiral of the coil, perforations 13, for escaplng the air so as vto enter the cream in jets, for the air to pass upward through the body of cream in the receptacle. The receptacle for the cream has a side wall 14, and a closed bottom 15, and preferably its topis open. A draw-off cock 16 is connected with the cream recep. tacle for drawing of the content-s of the receptacle, after the globules of butter fat have been separated from/the remaining constituents of the crealnfy and a. draw-oft' cock 17 is connected witl the`t-ank or vessel for the hot water, fordrawing off the water when required. p

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The receptacle for the cream is filled to approximate half its capacity, with the cream in a con it-ion of natural lactic fermentation. The tank or receptacle is filled with water at a temperature of 110 degrees, or such lower temperature as may be required for increasing the temperature of the pump or blower, flows through thev supply` pipe 7 and is delivered int/o the water below the perforated wall or diaphragm 6 and escapes through the perforations of the wall or diaphragm in a multiplicity of streams or jets to flow up through the hot water in the tank or receptacle, which thus becomes a filter and heat transmitter for the air. The air, passing upward through the body of hot water, absorbs .heat from the water, so as to raise the temperature of the compressed air, or air under pressure, to a sufficiently high temperature for final discharge into the body of the cream at the proper temperature. The air, escaping from the body of hot water, enters the chamber 8 and flows through the discharge nozzle 9 and lead pipes 10 and 11, and enters the coil 12 to esca e or discharge downwardly into the body o the cream, through the perforations 13 on the lower side of the spirals of the coil. rlhe downwardly discharged jets or streams of air at the proper temperature, escape upwardlyv and pass through the body of the cream, creating an agitation of the cream by which the globules of butter fat will be separated from the other constituents of the cream as hereinbefore described for the process of the invention. The effect of the discharged warm air, in its passage upwardly through the body ofthe cream, is to create alcoholic fermentation through the action of the oxygen in the air on the cream, and this alcoholic fermentation will produce a ferment, causing the cream to rise in the receptacle containing the` same, and hence the necessity of only partially filllng the receptacle with the cream. rlhe water, in the filter and heat transmitter, if of a temperature of 110 degrees, is adapted to receive compressed air, or' air under pressure, having a temperature of 40 degrees, and by the passage 4of the airs; through the hot water the temperature of the air will be increased sufliciently for the loss of lheat in passing' through the transmission pipes into the coil, and so that the air will be delivered to the coil at-a temperature of about 92 degrees, which temperature is required to malntaln the temperature of the 'cream at about 75 degrees, for the production of alcoholic fermentation in the cream, by the aeration of the c ream and the oxygen supplied from the air in'its passage through the cream and the aeration of the air and the supplied oxygen will act on the cream, when in a condition of natural lactic fermentation, to create alcoholic fermentation as required for the separatiouof the globules of butter fat from the remaining constituents 'of the cream. The absorption of heat from the hotv waterby the air passing through the body of hot water gradually reduces 'the temperature of the hot water, which causes a corresponding reduction of. the temperature of the air ejected into the cream at the bottom from the coil, and this gradual reduction of the temperature of the air coincides with or corresponds to the gradual reduction required for the final completioirof theprocess, as, at-the final stage of the process the temperature of the air and cream shou d be reduced, but, during the period of time in which alcoholic fermentation takes place, thetemperature of the cream must be maintained at or about degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature should be steady and not fluctuating morder to operate practically and successfully. The treatment of the air, by passing the compressed air, or air under pressure, throughlo a body of hot water having a temperature higher than the compressed air, or air under pressure, insures a steady and constant transmission of heat to increase the temperature of the air, and not a fiuctuating heat, such as would be obtained by the use of a gas -jet or other heating appliance, as the water gradually decreases in temperature as the 'heat of the water is transmitted to andl absorbed by the air passing through the water to increase the temperature of the air. It will thus be seen that with the apparatus ofthe present invention -a perfect, positive and reliable control of the temperature of the admitted air and the cream is obtained, under conditions ofa steady and gradually decreasing temperature and not a fluctuate, ing. temperature for the air and cream.

rlhe process of the present invention, and the apparatus for carrying out the same, enables the globules of butter fat to be separated from the other constituents of the cream, by destroying the viscidity of the cream so r4as to liberate the lobules of butintact; and when thus separated the glob- "ules of butter fat, owing to their less speciic gravity, rise of their own volition to .the top,;where they can be washed and removed. The process of the present invention attains the end of employing air as the basis for making butter, with the air' underthe requisite temperature for maintaining a tem erature of about 7 5 degrees making the process-of obtaining butter from the cream a wholly chemical process without 'the necessity of employing any mechanical means for agitating the cream. I do not confine myself to the exact method of controllingthe temperature of the air as specified, for it is apparent that'what l have discovered is the fact that the process, following the natural lactic ferment being one of alcoholic fermentation, the ferment can be exhausted in a few minutes. by supplying air at a' much higher temperature than 'the temperature of the cream and higher than that required for the secondary'ferment; and that ifrthis high temperature` were mainter fat unbroken and with t e inclosed sacs 10'5l during theactlonr of alcoholic fermentation, 115

tained, after the secondary ferment is complete, the resulting butter would be spoiled;

and that it is necessary to reduce the tem-v of butter to agglomerate; and it Will be seenA that the mechanical Working out of the invention may be accomplished in many Ways.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is; l

1. The method of producing butter, which consists in treating cream when in a state of lactic fermentation to a current of air at a temperature to produce alcoholic fermentation, and in automaticall reducing the temperature of thel air durlng such fermentation, substantially as described.

2. The methodof producing butter, which consists in treating cream When in a state of lactic fermentation to a current of air at a temperature to produce alcoholic fermentation, the vtemperature of said current of airl being automatically reduced during such treatment by passage through a body of water which gradually cools, substantially as described. v 3. In a device for the manufacture of butter, the combination of a tank for containing water, means for passing a current of air through said Water, an a1r connection from said tank to a fermentation chamber, and means for causing the air to pass up through the liquid in the fermentation chamber, substantially as described.

4:. In a device for the manufacture of butter, the combination of a Water tank, means WALTER COLE.

Witnesses OSCAR W. BOND, WALKER BANNING. 

